Seattle Weight Loss Boot Camp

I have now been a returning member of what’s now called PowerLab, for almost an entire year! Right around the 5 – 6 week mark, working out several times a week in this class while also limiting carbs to 80g per day, I started shedding the weight. Overall I’ve now lost a solid 10 lbs and have kept it off consistently, even though I don’t limit my carbs very much and only come to class twice weekly. And I was not very big to begin with, so I look GREAT! Every body is different but I am very thankful for my results.
This is such a fun work out. Just show up, bleary eyed, do your best, and have fun. It never feels like a gym and I actually look forward to going. It’s the only work out system that has EVER worked for me. So grateful to Kimae!

I was in a total workout slump and was heading ever closer to my wedding when SWL Bootcamp was recommended to me. I can’t say enough wonderful things about the classes or Kimae.
I am not at all a morning person and was really nervous about the early classes, but Kimae’s workouts are so much fun that after a few days I didn’t mind the early alarm clock (and I cannot stress enough how amazing that is for me).
The classes welcome women of all fitness levels but provide options so everyone is challenged. The atmosphere is supportive and fun and the workouts are structured to make you feel more like you are playing games and less like you are exercising. The nutrition coaching that comes with the program helps keep you healthy all day between classes and provides non-​judgmental support to keep you on track.
In the 4 months I went to bootcamp I lost inches in my hips and waist, became noticeably stronger, and generally felt healthier. At my wedding I had more than one person compliment me on my back and arms, which felt great and was all Kimae’s doing.
If you are thinking about joining this class, stop thinking about it and just do it. You won’t regret it.

I took a chance on this boot camp at an unlikely time, December. I was hoping to just make it through the 3 week session. My friends said, «outside, in December, are you crazy?» I’m now going on my 6^th month of regular attendance Monday-​Thursday workouts. Kimmae does make it fun and sometimes I can’t believe class is already over as I’m normally a work out clock watcher. I hate gyms and have been looking for a fun workout that keeps me interested and coming back for more. This totally fits the bill. Great fun, great group of ladies. I“m glad I took a chance and most importantly, I feel good about myself for showing up!

I thought about signing up for this boot camp for about six months before I actually did it. In December, I decided to go for it, starting early January, at the 6:40am hour. I’ve signed up for every session and intensive since then — I’m hooked.
Running has always been my primary fitness activity and since joining in Jan 2015, I’ve increased my average pace by 2 minutes per mile.
I usually avoid group classes because I’m less coordinated and have a hard time following instructions. The directions Kimae gives us makes sense and I’m able to easily follow along.
I also dislike most group classes because I have to slug through them. This bootcamp goes quick. I’ll often look down at my watch and be surprised there are just two or three minutes left.
Its fun, all-​women, everyone is supportive of one another, all abilities are welcome, and as Kimae says, it gets you into a habit. We are now morning people in my house and its even helped to get my husband on a regular exercise schedule.

Do you go to the gym and find yourself bored?
Do you hate gyms and don’t get enough exercise?
Need a little somethin’ somethin’ in a supportive all female environment to help you feel your best?
Have you drank too many good NW microbrews that there is a little beer pudge happening?
Seattle Weight Loss Boot Camp is for you!
Yes you can go at your own pace in this class, but somehow I have managed to work harder than I have since high school basketball practice. The key is Kimae, the instructor, who rain or shine has you working out, sweating, and pumping your muscles.
Every morning you will automatically get to the 5:30 or 6:40 am class — because you know Kimae and the other ladies will be there. And if you want to take it easy — you can — the goal is to break the routine of not exercising!
My first experience with Kimae was 3 years ago and lost 28 pounds! After trying out a couple of neighborhood gyms, I lost my strength and gained 15 pounds and hated going to work out. I knew that the only thing to change this horrible trajectory was to go back to Kimae and ditch the gym!
Here I am two months in and I’m feeling stronger and firmer and still working on loosing those 15 pounds — but I feel better about myself and love how I am looking!
Check her out — you may be surprised you like it!

I was introduced to the Boot Camp by a friend and found it very motivating and energizing. I came from a base of no regular exercise but a good base cardio. While camp participants had a range of fitness and different goals the format allows each person to push to their limit (Eg. one participant wanted to lose 40lb while another was training for the Pacific Crest Trail!). I love having exercise done for the day and saw a huge improvement in my cardio and strength in just two weeks! The culture is very supportive and I got much more benefit than a personal trainer at the gym. I am planning on signing up for the next session.

This review is a bit overdue and I should’ve written this months ago. I like the idea of women supporting each other but I do not agree with the execution of the classes. It might depend on your personal level of fitness and goals for boot camp. I don’t really need to lose weight but I wanted to be fitter and gain muscle.
My main criticism is that Kimae seems to think exercise is just something you do but without very much thought/​precision. The class I took was for all levels and definitely all levels from super thin to need to lose 50lbs attended. This just doesn’t work with some exercises. It works if we are all doing a lap and those who can run, run and those who can’t, walk.
But when it comes to other things, working in teams of two just doesn’t work. Let me explain: you partner with a random person and you might do pushups while the other person runs a lap. But then you switch partners so there is no consistency. For example, my partner was the slowest runner (she didn’t walk although some people did) when we did pushups so I had to do like 30 of them while she ran a lap. Then, when we did shoulder presses my partner was one of the faster runners and I was only able to do like five reps. I’d prefer more structure where we all do 10 reps together (exactly 10) for maybe the first few sessions and then move to 12 and then to 15 reps. For building muscle in particular, you need to have those last few reps be really difficult and five just doesn’t do it.
Because the class is outside, it means it can be quite large. I can’t remember exactly but I think it was 50 – 60 people. This is too much for one person to be able to watch everyone and give feedback on form. If the class were inside, there is no way she could have such a large class.
With this partner format, I’d like to see her offer one class for people who aren’t as fit and then a second class for people who are fitter. I’m guessing this method isn’t cost effective because if Kimae has 20 people in her class it is the same time/​effort for her as 50 people but she’d make less money.
Lastly, I’d also love for her give each of her clients some sort of tracking/​log sheet so that we each could log our amount and type of exercise during each class and track our progress.
Overall, this boot camp has made me strongly question how the fitness industry operates. To get certified all one has to do is read a book and take a (multiple choice) exam. It doesn’t mean the person actually understands the science.

I first tried boot camp 5 years ago with SWL and LOVED it, but living in West Seattle and opening a business took me away from it after 1 session. I remember, though, how great I felt and in 3 weeks I lost weight and had sightings of abs!
Forward 5 years and I moved back into the area. I have been working out with a personal trainer for a couple of years, but wanted something more in my fitness routine so I looked up SWL again. This is my 2^nd session now and I am feeling great and getting stronger.
Kimae is knowledgeable, motivating and encouraging. She explains each exercise with why and what results we will get. She encourages every fitness level and to work at each of our own individual paces. It’s a competition with yourself not others. She sends out emails daily for stretching routines do to at lunch time and in the evening. Kimae makes the hard work fun, relaxed and the best part about it is the results!
Thanks SWL!

Wowza! I can’t say enough good things about Kimae and her class. I started a year ago, thinking I just needed to jump start some weight loss, and I’ve been hooked ever since. Not only did I lose weight and improve my running pace, I’ve never felt better! The classes are tough, organized, and fun, (I swear!) Kimae definitely knows her stuff… always checking form, making adjustments, trying new exercises. I don’t think I can ever go back to a gym after this kick ass class.

I can’t imagine giving anything but a glowing review for SWL. Kimae is so knowledgable and enthusiastic at every session-​even at 5:50am! I just signed up for my third, 4-​week session, and have seen results I’ve never achieved on my own. Kimae gives in-​depth, sensible explanations for why we do each exercise, and tailors the program to a really wide variety of fitness levels. I went into this with a friend expecting to be moral support, and now I’m completely hooked for my own fitness. It’s a supportive environment, and anyone who can get me out of bed for a 5:50 workout 4 days a week is one impressive instructor. Please, please don’t shy away from this fantastic experience!
Thank you, SWL!

I joined swl bootcamp with my best friend. We had no idea what to expect but from what i had read on Unilocal people had wonderful things to say. Im not big on writing reviews but i feel that kimae deserves more :) Within minutes of meeting her we both loved her! She is inspiring, real, kind and encouraging. Dont get me wrong though… she kicks your butt! I could hardly walk after week one. I cant help but feel like I need to defend her after someone gave her a bad review. In no way, shape or form would i describe her as sketchy or under-​trained. She changed the way i feel about exercising. Her workouts transformed my body, i got abs i never thought i could have. Yes, you need to put in the effort and eat right, but with her help you can achieve your fitness goals while having fun. I’d give SWL bootcamp ten stars if i could

A little over a year ago, I signed up for my first session of boot camp. I had no idea what an amazing impact it would have on my life! I was completely nervous, but Kimae made me confident in my abilities. I could barely do a full sit-​up when I began and can now do dozens of them without a problem! The energy of both Kimae and the other extraordinary women in the class push me to work out harder than I ever have in my life. And the amazing thing is that I look forward to it every week — I never miss a class, if I can help it! Plus, several of the women in the group have become friends. We meet outside of class to go keep pushing ourselves!
Every week, someone comments on the changes in my body. I look better and more importantly, feel better and stronger than ever before. My doctor commented on my excellent heart rate. I was never a runner, but this class has pushed me to be able to run! The benefits are endless.
Kimae is both our biggest cheerleader and the person pushing us to do even more! She is a wealth of knowledge, always knowing the right thing to say to move us closer towards our goals. She is always smiling and energetic, even super early in the morning! The hour flies by and I always wake up the next morning sore, knowing that I worked out hard the day before!
I can’t say enough good things about this boot camp! It is definitely worth trying out! I highly recommend it!

I’ve been coming to boot camp on & off for the last 3 years. I continue to return because no other workout keeps me motivated, gets me energized or makes me feel as good about myself than SWLB. With a positive environment that is encouraging as well as challenging, Kimae’s sessions help me stay on track to reach my personal fitness goals. She also is a wealth of knowledge regarding nutrition and is always at the ready to divulge techniques for recovering from injuries or which sneakers to buy for a narrow foot. There are days when I want to curl back into bed when the alarm rings but knowing that there is an awesome coach and a fierce group of women waiting at Greenlake, that’s enough to throw that sports bra on and get out the door

My partner and I started bootcamps at around the same time, he chose a former athlete trainer who is an NSCA certified strength and conditioning specialist with an indoor facility and equipment. I went with Kimae’s bootcamp thinking that certification didn’t matter and having an all women outdoor bootcamp would give camaraderie and be nice for summer. From her website Kimae states she is certified in holistic fitness coaching and group training through the CHEK Institute. For some reason though she is not listed anywhere on the CHEK website as a trainer.
From the start our bootcamps were very different, my partner’s bootcamp class size averaged 10 – 15 students where as Kimae’s is 40 – 60 students as she runs two classes at once for newbies and returnees. That is where the problems lay. With that many students Kimae is understandably overwhelmed, unable to check form or field questions. Half of the class time you are running laps as she gives instruction to the other group and then sends them off to run laps as she gives instructions to your group. My partner’s bootcamp is entirely devoted to specific exercises that build on each other and each student is given adjustments to their form as they exercise.
She is unable to meet the goals of her advertising from her website. More then half of the class miss the instruction she gives for the next set of exercises and have to ask each other. It is very difficult to ask a question as there are just too many participants. She had one entire set of class exercises taken from a magazine page which she emailed the link for. That was embarrassing for me compared to the specific workouts my partner was getting in his bootcamp. She has a weekly statement of nutrition advice she gives everyone and is unable to get more personalized then that. She canceled our group’s second week calls and failed to provide the promised food diary feedback via email.
After experiencing a mild ankle sprain and asking about the makeup policies, any suggestions for working around the sprain during the 2 weeks off needed for healing and requesting the nutrition food diary feedback she promised now 2 weeks late, Kimae then sent an email with a fake header saying it was from one week prior but she failed to check the reference ID’s in the message source, and then she dropped me from the rest of the session and refunded my class fee telling me to sign up with another trainer. I took her suggestion and will now be working with my partner’s trainer.
I do hope she can run her business in a more sustainable and less shady way and provide a better service then what she is doing. Clients are more likely to continue working with you if you are honest about your mistakes.
For anyone considering the bootcamp my advice would be to skip this one, there are better bootcamps in Seattle with more knowledgeable trainers.

I’m a week in to my first SWL Booty camp session, and I love it. I’ve tried to sign up for other bootcamps, but I’ve never woken up before a 6 am alarm looking forward to a morning in the rain. There are women of all shapes and ability. I heard a lot of women on the first day talk about not wanting to «be the slowest», and after a couple of days they aren’t! I feel great and last night I had more energy than I knew what to do with, even after a full day at the office. I highly recommend this!

I just finished my first 4-​week session and have already signed up for more!
I actually remember seeing this class while walking my son around the lake in the early morning and everyone looked like they were having so much fun and I really wanted to join. It took me two years and I wish I had done it so much sooner! Kimae, the owner and trainer, has been running this forever at Greenlake and she’s great. Very non-​judgmental, encouraging and *realistic*. She’s been there– wherever your ‘there’ is.
The session also includes a weekly phone nutritional consultation which I originally was going to blow off thinking I knew everything about what I was supposed to be eating, just not how to make myself do it. But every week, Kimae showed me how I could make really easy changes that ended up making a world of difference. And never once did she knock me for my addiction to a daily whole-​milk vanilla latte!
The pros are that the class is women-​only, small in size and accommodates every body type and fitness level (I am uncoordinated and lazy by nature!). And none of that catty competitiveness.
These are what some might think are the cons, but they’re really not:
* 1 hour Monday thru Thursday (4 workouts a week + optional weekend homework. Want results? You need to work for them. Fortunately, work has never been so much fun! And it’s only for 4 weeks anyway!)
* early classes– 5:50am or 7am (5:50am is the *only* time I have in my day anyway so it totally works. Plus no need to hit the gym after you’ve worked all day!)
* it’s outside– rain or shine. (So much more energizing! I will never work out in a gym again.)
I think that’s about it. The class is awesome, Kimae is awesome. Highly recommended!

Highly recommend this class for most levels of fitness! Kimae is a fun, energetic instructor who does a fantastic job of mixing it up… lots of intervals and different body areas targeted in a highly supportive environment. The setting at Green Lake is fantastic, too. The classes are structured for multiple levels of fitness, so whether you’re relatively new to working out or you’re already fit, the class is tailored for your needs. Also a good way to meet other active women. Between 4 week sessions, there are often free classes of different types (yoga, sculpting) to keep you motivated. This is a great boot camp.

I cannot express how much I love Seattle Weight Loss Boot Camp! I have been a boot camper since 2008 and I cannot get the same results anywhere else. I found Kimae when I was trying to get myself beach body ready (which I did) and I have been hooked ever since.
Her approach to boot camp style is that you are playing rather than working out. She incorporates lots of things to help distract from the fact that the exercised you are doing are killing you (like kicking a ball, ect). The exercises are also designed to help gain lean muscle so that you don’t have to feel like you are bulking up.
I always see results, people have mentioned how much weight they lost but I have to say I really have seen the difference in the amount of inches I have lost. Also I have gained so much more energy and endurance thanks to this program.
The classes are offered in the morning at Greenlake so you can get your work out in before work, class, kids are up, ect. This is great because it is hard to have an excuse not to go.

First, I can’t believe SWLB doesn’t already have reviews because it is FANTASTIC but second… I have thought about adding a review for a few weeks now but hesitated because it already has such a good following. BUT if you happen to be making some new years resolutions (or whatever time of year it may be when you’re reading this) — this is the place to be.
I thought about going to SWLB for a whole year. For a few reasons — one of the reasons was that I was new to Seattle and couldn’t figure out where in the heck Green Lake was (how embarrassing) and another reason (excuse) was — I just didn’t know what to expect. I have never been to a boot camp. Will it be too difficult? Too easy? Boring? It’s all women… will they be a bunch of college girls that are super fit? Ok, enough with the questions… just GO!
I started in August when the weather was absolutely BEAUTIFUL. You may hate the thought of boot camp when the alarm goes off in the morning but once you get there and the sun comes up and the scenery is just beautiful… WOW. This just adds to the huge feeling of accomplishment and excitement once you are done!
Jeez, move along — I don’t want to make this toooo long. On to Kimae and the workout. She had me at hello. She’s super fun and spunky — even at 6am! She’s got a fantastic, welcoming smile and a cute figure but not an intimidating body building drill sergeant type of «trainer». She’s very relate-​able. Read her website. She keeps everything SAFE but very fun. The workout will take you back to elementary school gym class. At any age you will love going back to that time, right? Oh — there were some college girls, and some girls in their 30s, and 40s, and beyond. There was every level and no competition at all. I did some partner work with the fastest runner and the slowest. They were all super cool. You can’t help but develop a little bit of a bond when you are getting up at the crack of dawn and doing something together that makes you feel so good… even in the bad weather. Yes, there is boot camp rain or shine. I’ve been out there in the rain… and so was Kimae.
So GO… or don’t…I don’t know if I want this secret out. But if you are on the fence. Just try a session. I think you will be pleasantly surprised. How proud would you feel if in 4 weeks you could do push ups on your toes and not your knees. Anything is possible! =)